1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to ground vehicles and, more particularly, to a payload module for mobility assist for a ground vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Ground vehicles may be designed for use in a wide range of uses in an equally wide range of environments. Uses can typically be divided into transporting people or cargo, although the mechanisms may vary greatly. For instance, a passenger automobile carries passengers differently than a bulldozer moves dirt. The environments can range from improved roadways to rugged, off-road terrain.
The desired handling characteristics for any given ground vehicle are largely defined by its intended use and expected environment. A ground vehicle's actual handling characteristics are determined by a number of factors. The most obvious of these factors is the design and performance of the suspension system. But, in many respects, the vehicle's dimensions and weight distribution are equally important. The dimensions and weight distribution generate a “center of gravity” for the vehicle, i.e., a localized point at which gravity can be considered to act on the vehicle as a whole, on the average.
A vehicle's center of gravity is important to its handling for a variety of reasons. For one thing, a relatively high center of gravity will make a vehicle prone to tipping, even to the point of rolling over, all else being equal. Thus, a design with a high center of gravity will typically counter this tendency by widening the vehicle's wheelbase. Another aspect of center of gravity location becomes more apparent in more rugged environments, especially off-road. Just as a ground vehicle can become stranded in a negative obstacle, e.g., a ditch or a trench, so can a ground vehicle become stranded on a positive obstacle, e.g., a fence, a rock, or a barricade. One particular type of stranding on a positive obstacle is known as “centering,” in which one or of the ground vehicle's wheels cannot, or do not, touch the ground.
One way to avoid this type of stranding is simply to avoid encountering a problematical positive obstacle. However, this may not always be possible. For instance, in some military applications, some tactical or strategic consideration might call for a ground vehicle to directly traverse the obstacle. In some circumstances, the ground vehicle may inadvertently encounter the positive obstacle, e.g., the positive obstacle may not be seen in time to avoid it. However, the vehicle becomes stranded, it will generally be desirable to rescue the vehicle. The simplest way is simply to get another vehicle to pull the first free of the obstacle. There may nevertheless be circumstances in which it is undesirable to use a second vehicle for this purpose or where there is no second vehicle suitable or available for this purpose.
The present invention is directed to resolving, or at least reducing, one or all of the problems mentioned above.